


Home

by Kristal



Category: Free!
Genre: Comedy, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-16 03:23:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21501061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kristal/pseuds/Kristal
Summary: People didn’t understand water like Haruka did. Water was his mother, taking him in a sweet embrace every time he got home; swimming free was much more than a simple style, for him. Swimming free meantbeingfree.
Relationships: Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka
Kudos: 40





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was previously published on tumblr in 2014 and it's being posted as-is. I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Italicized words in dialogues means they were said in English.

The holidays were nearly over, but the summer air was stronger than ever, with its sunny and hot weather. Haruka could hear the birds chirping outside, as well as the voices that filled the driveway. Sitting in his bathtub, filled with fresh water, he felt safe from it all.

Nobody could understand water like Haruka did. Water became alive for him, wrapped him in a soft blanket of air bubbles and soothed him; that’s why he loved swimming. 

“Haruuu!” a voice came from the hall. Haruka put his mouth and nose underwater, watching the drops from his hair sliding down on his face. 

“Haru!” The door opened. It was Makoto, accompanied by Rin, both with backpacks on their shoulders. “H-haru, what are you doing?!” Rin blurted, embarrassed. 

Makoto laughed. Haruka got his face up high enough so that he could talk. “I am bathing. It’s hot." 

Recovering from the surprise, Rin had approached the tub. "In your bathing suit?!" 

"Well, you know him,” Makoto said with a chuckle. “We’re going to the beach. You coming?" 

The beach wasn’t so far away from Haruka’s place. They had took a bus and met up with Nagisa and Rei, already there, and waiting for them. Apparently, Rei had asked Nagisa to rub some lotion on his back, and he had done such a poor job of it that Rei was covered in white stuff. Without saying anything, Rin took some of the lotion from his back and put it on himself.

“There, better.”

“Thank you, Rin-senpai.”

Rin waved his hand in dismissal.

“Hey, Rin-chan! Race you!” Nagisa yelled as he ran to the water.

"Say, Mako-chan, if you couldn’t swim backstroke, which style would you choose?” Nagisa had asked at some point during the afternoon, while the boys were sitting on the sand, peacefully listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

“Huh? That’s an interesting question.” Makoto pinched his chin between his index and thumb, “I would go for the free-style, probably.”

“I would specialise in butterfly,” said Nagisa with a wink. “How about you, Rei-chan? If you could, like, swim at all?” he added, jokingly.

“Eeeh?! You’re so mean to me, Nagisa-kun!” He touched his glasses as his usual. “Whatever style I’d choose, I would want to be beautiful like Haruka-senpai is when he’s swimming.”

“For crying out loud, Rei-chan!”

“I never really tried backstroke,” said Rin, who was laying down, his arms behind his head. “So I would probably do that.”

Makoto giggled. “What about you, Haru? What would you choose?”

“I only swim free.”

“Eheh,” Makoto patted him on the back lightly.

“What’s the point in even asking, seriously?” said Rin, a little annoyed.

“But if you couldn’t swim free-style any more, Haru-chan,” added Nagisa, “then what would you choose?”

Haruka stared at the ocean. “Then I would stop swimming.” He got up. “I only swim free, or I don’t swim at all,” he said as he leapt into the water.

People didn’t understand water like Haruka did. Water was his mother, taking him in a sweet embrace every time he got home; swimming free was much more than a simple style, for him. Swimming free meant _being_ free.

On the way home, they took the train. Haruka watched as the landscape outside changed before his very eyes. Rei was saying something about homework, while Nagisa was mocking him behind his back. Makoto couldn’t decide if he should laugh or admonish Nagisa, so he settled for a smile while nodding at whatever his friend was saying.

“Oi, Haru?”

Haruka turned around and found Rin sitting beside him. How long he had been there, he didn’t know. Rin had the habit of sneaking up on him, and it bothered him. He didn’t care much about what other people thought, but Rin mattered, and being faced with his enigma upset him.

“Are you even listening to me, you moron?” he flicked him on the forehead. “Bah, never mind,” he said angrily, closing his eyes.

“You get annoyed a lot.”

Rin opened his eyes. “It’s because you never listen.”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, I think they are.” Haru faced the window again. “I think Makoto and your sister are ‘secretly dating.'”

“ _That bastard._ ” He clenched his fists. “I will kill him.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Of course I will! It’s my baby sister we’re talking about!”

“You like Makoto for her.”

There was a long silence, and then Haruka heard Rin whispering 'dammit.’ 

Okay, maybe sometimes he _could_ tell what he was thinking.

They parted ways at the crossroad, and waved goodbye as Rei and Nagisa took a left. Makoto, Rin and Haruka turned right and walked for a bit in complete silence.

Haruka enjoyed silence, it reminded him of the water. His friends never understood water like he did; the numbing silence pressing on his ears, as the beating of his heart and the blood pressure in his veins echoed in his head: that was what he loved about swimming.

And silence was their only companion till it was Makoto’s turn to say goodbye. Haruka could see, as his friends exchanged farewells, Rin’s mouth twitch slightly, no doubt trying to restrain himself from asking Makoto about Kou. Haru nodded at his best friend, and he and Rin went on walking on the road painted with the orange of the sun.

They reached Haru’s house while the sun was still gliding off the sky into the horizon.

“Did you decide what you want to do with your future?”

“Huh? You’re still here, Rinrin? I thought you left already.”

“Grrr, don’t call me Rinrin!”

They went inside and Haruka moved toward the window in the kitchen.

“Do you want to be a professional swimmer?”

“I only swim free.”

“I know that,” said Rin, impatiently. “But we could swim together, Haru! Think about it, we–”

“You’re rough, and rude, and loud. You’re nothing like water.”

“Eeh?! You’re not making any sense, but I’m pretty sure you just offended me.”

Haruka shook his head. “You’re nothing like water, and I like water. And yet, somehow… I love _you_.” He said it matter-of-factly, the same way he might have said he was going to eat mackerel that night.

Rin gasped. “Haru?”

Still facing the window, Haru continued, like he had never been interrupted. “I told you already, I only swim for myself and my friends. But I will _always_ swim for you.”

Rin lowered his head, his fists clenched to the side. “Me, too.” When he lifted his eyes, he found himself looking at the shape of his friend’s shoulders. “I love you, I mean. And you know I will always swim for you.” He started to tear up. “Truth is, my dream has always been to swim with you, because I know what your true form is when you’re in the water. When you swim, Haru, you _are_ free, and I want to be free, like you. Truth is,” he repeated, “my dream has always been you.”

He waited for him to say something, but he never did. He watched, as he pulled something from the window, the sound of objects clashing together accompanying his every yank.

“Here,” Haruka said, turning around and handing him something.

Rin took it and saw it was a wind-chime made out of shells and twines. “Your wind-chime. Why are you giving it to me?”

“I made it. I thought you would like it,” he simply replied.

Rin watched as the fading sun danced on the shells, splashing colours on his hands. “Thank you.”

“Rinrin.”

“What?” He found Haruka looking at him.

“Don’t cry.”

“Idiot,” he replied, forcing back his tears.

When Haruka had kissed Rin, he had tasted salt. 'Just like water,’ he had thought, and had let Rin’s flavour be his new home. 


End file.
